


Stars and Graveyard Flowers: A Winning Combination

by PuellaMidori



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: F/F, First Dates, Stargazing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-15
Updated: 2017-12-15
Packaged: 2019-02-14 23:15:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13018245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PuellaMidori/pseuds/PuellaMidori
Summary: After Buffy spends all evening stressing out about asking Faith out on a date she has her plans comepletely ruined- by Faith asking her out first! How was Buffy supposed to plan for that?





	Stars and Graveyard Flowers: A Winning Combination

“How long is this gonna take?” Buffy wondered. She hoped Faith was okay. Probably just got distracted dishing out a little extra wailing on a deserving vamp, but still, anything could have happened to her. Buffy knew this had been a bad idea.

The plan had been for Buffy and Faith to patrol separately, and then meet up at the Bronze when they were done. Buffy had had time to patrol, head home to “neaten up” (which in this case meant a whole new outfit, complete with perfume and a quick makeup touch up), and still be able to relax and enjoy the atmosphere for a while. Except, without the actual relaxing part because something could be wrong. Willow had already gone home but Xander was being a real trooper and sitting through Buffy’s verbal anxieties. “What if she’s hurt somewhere? Or what if she forgot? Or maybe I was just reading all the wrong signals. Maybe I was sending all the wrong signals. What if she’s not coming at all? God, what if she’s standing me up? What if she’s dying?”

“Whoa, slow down a little, Buff. I’m sure Faith’s fine. You know how she can get on patrol. She’ll be here. Hopefully soon, because some of us still have classes we attend in the mornings. When we can’t afford to lose marks for non-attendance. But anyway, she’ll be here. Relax.”

“I can’t relax! Do you think she knows what I’m planning? Oh my god these clothes! Is it too much? Maybe she’ll see me, and I’ll just scare her off! What if she’s already seen me, and left without even telling me?”

“That would never happen! You’ve both got Slayer senses, remember? You would have noticed her.”

“Okay but what if- there she is! Faith!” Buffy stood up, but couldn’t bring herself to move forward. She stood waiting as Faith approached, clearly wearing the same thing she’d be patrolling in, down to the new tear in one knee. Buffy felt a twinge of disappointment. She may not have mentioned it, but part of her had been hoping that maybe Faith wanted to make sure she looked good for Buffy just like she had made sure to look good for Faith.

Xander got up to excuse himself as Faith reached their table, but before he could open his mouth Faith pulled something out from behind her back and spoke first. “Hey B, sorry I kept ya waiting. Brought something I hope will make up for it though. Now that the vamps have all been cleared out for the night, how about you and me go on a little stargazing date?”

Xander quietly made himself scarce while Buffy accepted the flowers being pushed into her vicinity. She opened her mouth, trying to think of something intelligent to say in reply and managing to come up with “where on Earth did you buy a bouquet like that at this time of night?”

“Found them on patrol. Given everyone else in the graveyard was either dead or undead it didn’t seem like anyone else was using ‘em.”

“Faith!” Buffy scolded, but then she crossed the small distance between them, giving Faith a relieved hug.

“Oh, sure, okay,” Faith mumbled as they broke apart again. “So, uh, you coming with or am I going to have to take those flowers back? Come on, there’s a place I like to go. Nobody else ever goes up there, but this is the best time of night for stars. Or am I gonna have to buy you a drink first? Cause I don’t have the money for that y’know!”

Buffy laughed. Faith may be acting as forward and, well, Faith as ever but Buffy could tell Faith must’ve been just as nervous as she was. It wouldn’t be right to keep the girl suffering. “Okay, okay, let’s get going then. Teach me all about the stars!” Buffy spoke playfully as she let Faith lead the way back outside, pushing away what little was left of her anxieties. “This arrangement is so not fair though. I can’t believe you Faith!”

“What?”

“Well, I don’t even have anything to give you! All my preparations, all the work and planning I put into things tonight, and you asking me out with dirty clothes and graveyard flowers puts you at the top of the “dating skills” list all because I didn’t think to bring you a present!”

“Nah, don’t think of it like that B. I only won because I was quicker at opening my mouth, wasn’t I? You gotta be able to take what you want in life if you’re gonna survive out there. So now I’m taking you.” Emphasizing her point, Faith took Buffy by the hand and started pulling her down the street.

Laughing again, Buffy pulled her hand back. “Slow down girl, there’s not going to be any “taking” tonight. I’m a Slayer too, remember? Nobody’s going to be “taking” me. We’re on equal footing here, no need to get all pushy or grabby. I promise you, I follow willingly.” Placing her hand back in Faith’s she added, “Okay, I’ve said my piece. All about the strong and the independent and stuff. Now take me to see some pretty stars, pretty girl.”

“You know you’re sending out some mixed signals here, right?”

“Oh shut up! You threw off my game! I had all these words planned in my head and everything, how I would ask you, what to say when you got weirded out that I was asking you on a date, all these clever things, and now I’m just trying to keep you from guessing that I’m not really that clever after all while you get all the glory of “asking Buffy on a date” and “Buffy saying yes”. At least, well, this is a date, right?”

“Of course it’s a date, you think I give out graveyard flowers to every girl I meet? Not even close! And stop trying to be clever for me, let me be the clever one for once. I’m teaching you all about stars tonight, remember? Anyway, here we are. Top of this tree, best place in town to look at the sky, I’m telling you! Ladies first.”

Buffy gestured at the skirt she was wearing, pointing out that she wasn’t exactly dressed for climbing trees, not having anticipated intense physical activity after patrolling. “You’re sure there’s not somewhere a little closer to the ground where we can see the stars?”

Faith gaped at Buffy. “You can’t be serious! Gotta be in the sky to enjoy the sky, right? Come on, come on, it’ll be fine. I won’t even look up your skirt, I promise.” That last bit was amended after catching the glare on Buffy’s face. “Er, I mean I’ll go up first, and give you a hand. Alright?” Faith started the climb after a nod from Buffy, then hung her hand down to help her up. Faith led Buffy about half-way up the tree, where a long, thick branch stuck out from under most of the leaves above it, giving them an almost-clear view of the night sky. Buffy had to admit, it was pretty nice to look at the stars from up high. Maybe a roof would’ve been more practical, but maybe there was something about light pollution that ruled that out. “Told you so!” Faith boasted. “Thought I dragged you up here for nothing? Maybe skip the outfit change next time though.” 

The two girls sat together in silence for a while, taking some time to relax after running out of quips to make, enjoying the reality of the situation. The date. Buffy broke the silence first though, asking, “What kind of a lesson is this anyway? You promised to teach me the stars, but you haven’t said a word about any of them!”

Faith took Buffy’s hand in her own once again, using Buffy’s arm to point towards the sky. “Okay, here we go. Those stars up there, that’s actually the tombstone constellation. In fact, people started making tombstones for the dead after looking up at these same stars and thinking “now, what could be better than being buried under starlight?” and so they carved these huge chunks of stone into the same shape as this constellation! Cool, right?”

Making no attempt to regain control of her own limb, Buffy affirmed, “Yeah, definitely cool. Tell me another one.”

Faith guided Buffy’s bare arm to a new position in the sky. “This one up here, this one’s the cross-bow. And all these stars over here, beside it, those are supposed to be the bolts it’s already shot.”

“Wow, really? Where did you learn so much about the stars? What about this one?”

“Oh, I don’t think that group has a name. Maybe we can name it later, and get all famous for something other than Slaying. But if you look over here, this one that’s kind of shaped like a heart, that one’s Venus, or Aphrodite, or something. Look, you, uh, you know I’m making this all up right? I don’t know jack about stars, I just think they’re pretty. They help me calm down sometimes.”

“I know Faith. I’m pretty sure there’s no “tombstone” constellation up there. But you were the one who wanted to be clever for tonight, so tell me another one! And you better make it sound good this time!”

Faith continued guiding Buffy’s arm through the air, making up ridiculous names for a few more clusters of stars until she saw the goosebumps popping up on Buffy’s skin. Feeling like an idiot she took off her jacket, offering it to the poorly dressed girl. “I can’t believe it. You must have been freezing this whole time and I didn’t even think of it.”

“It’s okay, I have you for warmth.” Buffy says that, but she shivers anyway and puts the jacket on. “You know, maybe we should both be heading home. I know you don’t really care about the whole school thing but I don’t need to be giving Snyder any more reasons to be calling my mom so I should really get to bed.”

“No, I get it. I’ll walk you home. And of course, now that we’re dating, I guess I’ll have to make an effort to show up so I can see you in the halls and you can show me off to everyone. Have to be up early to make sure I look my best for maximum jealousy points, right? Hottest chicks in the school, dating each other? I’m sure people will flip! Gotta make it good!” Not willing to wait for Buffy’s reaction she laughed off her own comment, backtracking. “Okay, that’s probably a bit far, right? But I will see you at school tomorrow, and not just in the library. Got it? Let’s stay up here just a couple more minutes though.”

**Author's Note:**

> And then they made out until Faith almost fell out of the tree. Don't mess around in trees folks. Especially if you don't have Slayer reflexes. 
> 
> Written for @victorian-sexstache on Tumblr for the Buffyverse Femslash Secret Santa. Hope you enjoy it!


End file.
